Driven. Hyundai i20N
- Jul 26
- 6 min read
Updated: Jul 28
Hyundai’s most diminutive ICE N-Performance car was the only variant I hadn’t sampled to date. Perhaps I was more enamoured by the larger i30 chassis, or maybe I feared feeling like a huntsman spider in a match-box when behind the wheel of the pint sized hatch.
About the time I finally came into my loan period in the i20N Premium, I came across the news that its days were numbered. It was with a resulting twinge of sadness that I commenced a week in this little kimchi rocket.
I’ve become a huge fan of Hyundai’s N cars. I also commend the brand on its strategy to not only build exciting cars, but to propagate a community around the range.
They’re only one of two (the other being Ford Australia) that allow me to test their vehicles on track; a massive boon in my eyes. If you’re building it for that purpose, you should allow people like me to use them for their purpose.
Visually it feels more cohesive than the i30N, likely aided by its smaller stature. Nevertheless, everything feels more connected and flowing in overall aesthetics. Overall, it’s slab-sided and angular, with a wedge-like profile side on.
The sharp front-end houses LED headlights either end, with a large grille that does its best to hide the various radiators/intercoolers behind it.
Viewing the i20N Premium from the rear is where the size is most evident. From this angle it feels like a small SUV; narrow and tall, with the cutest rooftop spoiler I’ve seen on any production vehicle.
It’s finished in the halo N-Performance blue with red highlights and blackouts, which all work cohesively against the 18-inch black-and-machine-finished mesh wheels.
It still bewilders me today that cars of this size can wear such large diameter wheels. They have enough negative offset to fill out the guards perfectly and hide red calipers front and rear.
Like all N-Performance cars, Pirelli P-Zero rubber rounds things out, an indication of what’s to come in terms of driving prowess.
The pint-sized exterior dimensions carry into the interior, making for cosy accommodations. You don’t really feel it up front though, as a driver. Climbing into the bolstered driver’s seat is made easy with a big enough entry point, even for the older clumsy ones.
My first impression was of a seat that felt higher in the cabin than the larger platforms. This is likely owing to the chassis and makes for good visibility, but my preference is always to sit lower.
That said, the manually adjusted leather-and-cloth covered seat is comfortable, with enough support for everything from pottering to pushing. The cabin possesses a range of hard plastics which didn’t bother me in the larger variants and didn’t bother me here either.
If one wanted a fatter, more luxurious hot hatch, there are plenty on offer. None of them will provide the same engagement nor breadth of capability on offer in the N-performance range.
The driver hangs onto a chunky wheel, complete with the now-familiar button ware including N-mode and Boost buttons. Behind it sits a screen for driver vitals, which is complimented by a 10.25-inch infotainment screen. It sounds small on paper, but is perfectly proportionate to the cabin.
It’s through this screen where one can access wired CarPlay through an USB-A port. The lack of wireless functionality and relegation to such an archaic port is one of the few issues I have with this car. The sound system is basic, but good enough.
Much likes its larger siblings, the i20N is equipped with the full suite of N-performance functions through the infotainment screen. Adjustments are available across steering, throttle and exhaust valves. The functionality extends to lap timing at tracks across the country, launch control and rev counters including dash mounted shift lights.
It’s truly a fantastic setup that’s both easy to use and offers a fantastic breadth of functionality for the car person.
The rear row is negligible. I’m sure there are many outlets and other reviews out there that have passed various commentary on its size. Quite simply its small, even my sub-teenage daughters didn’t enjoy it. And the boot will take one large suitcase before succumbing to a need to fold the rear row down. You’re not buying this vehicle for family practicality anyway.
The remainder of the cockpit is pretty spartan, and you may encounter awkward elbow contact with a passenger. Ultimately, the i20N is best enjoyed alone in my humble opinion.
An empty mountain road on an early morning is the i20N’s best friend. Hitting the N button on the steering wheel sets it to maximum attack. This brings with it the mildest ESC intervention, stiffer suspension and steering, maximum throttle response and opened exhaust valves to improve flow and sound.
The leather-covered gear knob attached to the 6-speed manual gearbox falls to hand with ease. It’s got a satisfyingly notchy feel, with short and precise throws between cogs. It all works well, with the spread of ratios catering well to the small capacity engine.
My second gripe comes from the clutch, which feels a little too light and soft for a performance-oriented drivetrain.
At 10/10ths it doesn’t matter, because everything happens so quickly (and the car responds to it well too). It won’t be an issue for everyone, but it just lacks the finesse and weightiness I’d like in a car like this.
It matters even less once on a roll and hunting through bends. It’s here where the smaller and tighter chassis coming well and truly into its own.
The way the i20N bites on turn-in is seriously impressive. It holds pace through corners too, with a healthy level of adjustability mid-corner, without being unapproachable.
It’s counterintuitive given the miniscule wheelbase, which can often lead to snappiness on the edge. This inherent balance eggs you on to keep pushing more speed coming into a corner.
Then you get to exit, where the LSD dutifully pulls you out with little to no push understeer, as long as you’re not being ham-fisted with the throttle.
It's likely a function of the chosen route, but the i20N can feel a little too stiffly sprung. Ordinarily an asset on a performance vehicle, it just seemed a little too much, necessitating some thinking through rougher patches.
It was at this realisation where I was most disappointed that I didn’t have the time to take the i20N to the track, as I had with the i30N hatchback.
The level of stiffness across the suspension and chassis would’ve been a tremendous asset on smooth race-track conditions.
In fact, as much as I enjoyed the i30N, I think I enjoyed the i20N just a little more so.
It's not faster, it doesn’t have as much power, it doesn’t sound as gnarly or obnoxious and its smaller. But the i20N just felt more complete, connected, communicative and raw.
These are all traits that I enjoy and love in a vehicle; I’m sure I won’t be alone either. Perhaps even more exciting is that it does it all for circa $38,000!
Unfortunately, the world isn’t long for this sort of vehicle. I would tip the replacement to be hybridised; a concept I’ve become far more comfortable with of late, but it’s also never really the same.
I guess time will tell.
Like: It feels like a proper hot hatch, tight and communicative chassis, proper fun through bends
Dislike: I didn’t get to track it – this is where I think it would be most fun, Clutch is a little pedestrian in feel, CarPlay really should be wireless
Car Guy Rating – 8.5
The beauty of the Hyundai i20N Premium was that it felt like the hot-hatches of old. Perhaps a little sentimental yes, but the formula in this vehicle is perfect. A punchy engine (although 150kw in the old days was a big deal!) connected to a 6-speed manual gearbox, makes for ample driving enjoyment. It’s a willing steerer too, with amazingly sharp turn in and mid corner speed along with a mechanical LSD to clean things up on exit. With all this being said, it’ll take you to the shops and back with no issue too. Deliciously analogue in the best way possible. Would Buy
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